Mark Olver

Written by: Si Hawkins
Published: Thursday 13th April 2017

You're in Cardiff, it's a Sunday: what's the plan? Well, you could do worse than check out The Gathering, a corking-sounding new night run by Mark Olver, one of the busiest but most underrated comics working in TV today: he's the guy who sets the mood.

"At the moment I'm doing lots of TV warm up," says Olver, "and really fancied having a space where I could try new material, gig with my friends, book comedians who I think are brilliant and create a space that is silly and interesting and maybe slightly different. And the Glee Cardiff wanted to do a Sunday gig and so I'm booking it and, for want of a wanky word, curating it."

"Mat Ewins, Sarah Breese, Ellen Waddell and hopefully Matt Rees will be doing regular new bits and pieces. There will be stupid games. And then amazing headliners, some famous people, a few of the best open spots, and people preparing for Edinburgh who I think are going to do amazing up there (Athena Kugblenu, Fin Taylor, Lou Conran, Catherine Bohart, Phil Jerrod, Yuriko Katoni, Spencer Jones...)"

It certainly beats Songs of Praise, if indeed Songs of Praise is still on TV. If it is, Olver probably does the warm-up.

First gig?

I remember causing a ruckus. I remember learning my five minutes of material and going to a little basement in Bristol. Some friends I knew where there, Russell Howard - who I met the week before and who was watching because his first gig was the week after - was there. And five women who hated me and everything about me and so heckled aggressively. And I just came off thinking "wow, that was amazing".

Favourite gig, ever?

I can't choose one. But I do a set at Green Man Festival every year on the final Sunday night. It starts at about Midnight to an empty 1,000 seater tent and continues until there is an audience to watch the headline act. They burn the Green Man for the end of the festival and all the punters go and watch and then trickle back to the comedy, but because I've seen it a few times I keep the tent warm. It's a lot of fun starting with 12 sleepy audience members and ending with 1,000.

Worst gig?

I genuinely can't think of one. There have been so many! Doing TV warm up means that I have done pilots for shows that never get turned into series and sometimes they can go on for literally nine hours! An audience who doesn't want to be there, a format you know only one or two people think is worthwhile, a crew who are happy earning overtime and a presenter who feels like it's a hostage situation. And muggins here trying to keep them noisy and cheering.

The weirdest gig?

I once did a Geoff Whiting [a comedy booker] gig in Sudbury (which I only took because it sounded like it was in the West Country). I was closing and in the first section there were about nine people in, by the time it got to me there were two, and the room wasn't closed off and there was a pool competition happening in the pub. So I took the compere and the two audience members for a drive around town while doing my set, dropped them back to the pub and drove home.

Who's the most disagreeable person you've come across in the business, and why?

Any promoter who wilfully refuses to pay comedians, complains when they ask for their money, makes them gig at low amounts and then adds on the money he owes them in increments so they have to keep working for him if they want the money they are owed. And who complains and gets aggressive if comics who don't play his gig - or promoters who are friends with acts being treated badly - comment on his attitude to comedians.

Is there one routine/gag you loved, that audiences inexplicably didn't?

God no. My love for a bit is simply a reflection of whether that bit helped me get away with it!

What's your best insider travel tip, for touring comics?

Holiday Inn Priority Club. You get points every time you stay, you can search for the cheapest Holiday Inn on your route, get a late check out and a few promoters who still offer accommodation put you up in Holiday Inns so while they are paying the bill you can get the points!

The most memorable review, heckle or post-gig reaction?

I got a two-star review in Edinburgh for my second hour. I can't remember which publication but they came in on day two of previews, there were about five people in, and it was quite a lovely gig, which the reviewer even mentioned because two of the five people realised they were related. But he didn't feel the show had enough "oomph". In front of five people.

How do you feel about where your career is at, right now?

Very happy with it. I get to gig when I can and can pick and choose nice gigs and nice promoters and try new stuff in local gigs and MC festivals and basically have fun. Because I do TV warm up about five times a week and that pays well and takes me around the world sometimes (Rio, Buenos Aires, Bangkok) and the variety is amazing and challenging and doolally and the catering is often great.

The Gathering happens every Sunday at Cardiff Glee, for more details visit glee.co.uk